The President is the constitutional representative of the
United States with regard to foreign nations. He manages
our concerns with foreign nations and must necessarily be
most competent to determine when, how, and upon what
subjects negotiation may be urged with the greatest prospect
of success. For his conduct he is responsible to the
Constitution. The committee consider this responsibility
the surest pledge for the faithful discharge of his duty.
They think the interference of the Senate in the direction
of foreign negotiations calculated to diminish that responsibility
and thereby to impair the best security for the national
safety. The nature of transactions with foreign nations,
moreover, requires caution and unity of design, and
their success frequently depends on secrecy and dispatch.